Ice-road-making machine.



PATENTED FEB.11, 1908,

A. WETTEEVIK.

' ICE ROAD MAKING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB, 21, 1907.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

BATENTED FEB. 11, 1908.

A. WETTERVIK.

IGB ROAD MAKING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB, 21, 1907.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

II X UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

AXEL WETTERVIK, OF IRON RIVER, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR TO KLAS A. LINDGREN, OF STAMBAUGH, MICHIGAN.

ICE-ROAD-MAKING- MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 11, 1908.

Application filed February 21. 1907. $erial No. 358.741.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, AxEL WETTERVIK, a citizen of the United States, residing at Iron River, in the county of Iron and State of Michigan, have invented a new and useful lce-Road-Making Machine, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to an ice road making machine.

The object of the present invention is to provide a machine, designed for making ice roads, and adapted to melt the snow and ice to level the road and to cause the water to flow into and freeze within the hollow places, whereby a smooth ice road, adapted for sleighs and sleds, may be easily and quickly made.

With these and other objects in View, the invention consists in the construction and novel combination of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and pointed out in the claims hereto appended; it being understood that various changes in the form, proportion, size and minor details of construction, within the scope of the claims, may be resorted. to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the drawings :Figure 1 is a plan view of an ice road making machine, constructed in accordance with this invention. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view, taken substantially on the line 9090 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail sectional view, illustrating the construction of the central journal box.

Like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in all the figures of the drawin s.

l designates a horizontal frame, having a front platform 2 and supported at opposite sides of the same by runners 3, suitably connected with the frame. The frame is provided at the back with central and side extensions, the central extension being preferably in the form of a pair of rearwardly converging arms or portions 4, connected at their rear ends by a transverse portion 5 and forming a loop-shaped extension. The side extension consists of rearwardly and laterally curved arms, provided at their rear ends with sectional bearings 6 for the reception of outer journals or portions 7 of tubular axles 8, which are journaled at their inner ends in a central journal box 9. The central journal box 9, which is preferably composed of sections, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 4 of the drawings, is divided horizontally and is provided at the top and bottom with vertical flanges 10, preferably for the reception of bolts 11, or other suitable fastening devices for securing the central journal box to the transverse portion 5 of the central extension of the frame.

The central journal box is provided at the back with erforated flanges 12 for the reception of olts 13 for securing the sections together. The central journal box is provided at opposite sides of the center with interiorly arranged annular grooves 14 for the reception of annular flanges 15 of the inner ends of the axles 8, whereby the axles are held against longitudinal movement and are maintained in spaced relation to permit the steam to enter the inner ends of the axles. The flanges and the grooves also form tight joints for preventing the escape of the steam. The top of the central bearing is provided with a threaded opening 16 for the reception of a threaded end 17 of a feed pipe 18, which extends from the central bearing to the steam dome 19 of a boiler 20. The boiler 20 is adapted to supply steam to a pair of hollow rollers 21, which are mounted on the axles 8 and which may be of any preferred construction. The axles 8 are provided with suitable perforations 22 to permit the steam to enter the rollers for heating the same, and the feed pipe is provided with a suitable cook 23 for controlling the steam fed to the hollow rollers. The hollow rollers may be provided with screw plugs 24, or any suitable means for permitting the water, resulting from the condensation of the steam, to drain from them. Suitable spaced sleeves 25 and 26, which are mounted on the axles 8, are interposed between the rollers and the bearings to maintain the former in proper position with relation to the openings 22 of the axles. The steam boiler may be of any preferred construction, and is designed to be equipped in the usual manner. When the feed rollers are moved over the snow and ice of a road, it will melt the same, and the water will run into and fill the hollow places and will freeze therein, thereby making a level ice road, adapted for sleighs and sleds.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. An ice road making machine comprising a frame, spaced transversely disposed hollow rollers located in rear of and connected with the frame, a boiler mounted on the frame, and a feed pipe extending from-- the boiler into the space between the hollow rollers and communicating with the interior of each of the same for supplying steam to the rollers.

2. An ice road making machine c0mpris= ing a frame, a boiler mounted on the frame,

a tubular axle, a hollow roller mounted on' the axle, the latter being provided within the roller with an aperture, a boiler mounted on the frame, and a feed pipe extending from the boiler and communicating with the axle.

3. An ice road making machine comprising a frame provided with central and side bearings, tubular axles mounted on the bearings and having steam outlets, hollow rollers arranged on the axles and receiving the steam outlets, and a feed pipe connected with the central bearing for feeding steam to the hollow rollers.

4. An ice road making machine comprising a frame having central and side bearings, the central bearing being provided with opposite annular grooves, tubular axles arranged in the bearings and provided with In testimony, that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto afiixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

AXEL VVETTERVIK. Witnesses:

HERBERT HAGELIN, P. O'BRIEN. 

